Lee Enterprises

Lee Enterprises

“Calling BCC Software is like talking to regular people...They are always available, and they seem to go out of their way to help.”Ken Miller, Lee Enterprises

Stop the presses: Lee Enterprises switches to BCC Software

A newspaper chain seeking a more affordable mailing technology solution switches to BCC Mail Manager and trades top dollar for top results

Lee Enterprises is one of the largest newspaper groups in the country, with 50 daily newspapers operating across 22 states. Because their distribution costs are absorbed into overhead and not directly passed on to customers, the company must leverage a thorough understanding of United States Postal Service® regulations (especially those pertaining to Periodical and Standard Flat mailings) to achieve maximum postal economy.

“Newspapers are not very standard when it comes to getting papers out the door,” says Ken Miller, Lee Business Systems Analyst. “Walk into a newspaper distribution facility and you’ll find a million different situations that all need to be dealt with individually.”

The old solution: Too little support at too high a cost

Until a few years ago, Lee had depended on a well-known but expensive software solution to satisfy the company’s mail technology needs: encoding, presorting and preparing daily and weekly newspapers for the journey from regional printing centers through the mailstream to their eventual destinations. Productivity and efficiency were assured by coordinating these processes through a central computer network, with Lee employees conducting extensive customization of the program to properly integrate its functionality within their system.

However, as their distribution operations evolved from a mainframe platform to a more complex but flexible client-server environment, Lee decision-makers realized they needed a new software partner. From a cost perspective, their existing solution was “way out there,” Miller says, and the company’s technical support—a vital consideration given Lee’s customization needs—was disappointing: “a big call center” that offered little in the way of personalized attention.

BCC Software's BCC Mail Manager: A "hands-on" improvement

Enter BCC Software, whose mail-preparation solution BCC Mail Manager™ was recommended to Lee by a corporate partner that had used it successfully for years. BCC Mail Manager’s price point—a fraction of their previous solution—made it attractive to Lee management, but price could not be the sole trigger factor. In reviewing the software during an introductory trial, however, Miller discovered an unrivaled combination of power and value, and perhaps even more important, the advantages of BCC Software’s unlimited technical support.

Meeting today's needs and tomorrow's growth

Saving money alone would not have been reason enough to switch to BCC Mail Manager, Miller says—but BCC Software sealed the deal with a full-featured product with the potential for modular growth, plus superior customer service that proved responsive to any situation.

As Lee programmers progressed along their abbreviated learning curve, calls to BCC Software have lessened—but staff know they can rely on BCC Software sales and support to supply them with the tools for ongoing success. Today, Lee Enterprises enjoys “an excellent working relationship with BCC Software,” Miller says. “They are always available and they seem to go out of their way to help. I am encouraged by our relationship and hope we can be partners for years to come.”

Challenge

Lee Enterprises needed a solution that could keep up with their evolving operations, combined power with value, and came with unlimted technical support.

Solution

BCC Mail Manager

Results

Lee Enterprises has saved thousands of dollars using BCC Mail Manager as well as the confidence that BCC’s support will respond quickly.